PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
BAND … Public Scene performs on stage during the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Party In The Park at Delta Municipal Park.
SLIDE … A young girl enjoys one of the inflatable bounce houses during the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Party In The Park Friday evening.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Music, food, games and community spirit filled Delta Municipal Park on Friday evening as the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Party In The Park fundraiser.
The event, formerly known as Dancing in the Streets, has become a longtime summer tradition in the village.
Chamber President Kevin Jessing said the event has been taking place for at least 16 years and has continued to evolve, moving from downtown to the park to create a more family-friendly atmosphere.
“We used to have it downtown but moving it to the park gave us a little more space and a better venue,” Jessing said.
“It used to be more of an adult event when it was uptown. Now that we’ve welcomed children into it, it’s become much more family friendly.
“That was kind of our goal, and you can see the bounce houses are pretty well received.”
Admission was $5 for adults, while children were admitted free. Throughout the evening, families enjoyed bounce houses and inflatables, a cornhole tournament, food trucks and live entertainment.
Some of the food options available included Buzzy Bites, Hahny’s Smash Burgers and Andrew Z’s Traveling Pizza, while City Beverage provided beer, wine, seltzers and other beverages inside the designated beverage area.
The evening’s entertainment featured Public Scene opening the festivities before Renegade Lemonade closed out the night.
Jessing said organizers were pleased to see strong interest in the cornhole tournament, with teams registering both ahead of time and at the gate.
Now serving his first year as chamber president after six years of involvement with the organization, Jessing credited community support and volunteer involvement for the event’s continued success.
He noted that while many community festivals have struggled in recent years because of rising costs, insurance expenses and difficulty finding volunteers, Delta has remained committed to providing opportunities for residents to gather.
“I think it’s vital to the community,” Jessing said. “It’s a chance for people to come out, see each other, have a good time and listen to some good music.
“It’s unfortunate to see some other communities having difficulty keeping events going, so we think it’s important to continue offering something like this.”
He added that the chamber remains active in a variety of community projects throughout the year, including the Delta Chicken Festival, downtown improvements and other local initiatives.
“We like to stay local,” Jessing said. “It’s a good relationship with the community, and we want to keep supporting events and projects that benefit Delta.”
As music played into the evening and families gathered throughout the park, the annual fundraiser once again highlighted the chamber’s goal of bringing residents together while supporting future community activities.
